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Marlins announce 2014 coaching staff

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The Miami Marlins today announced they have finalized manager Mike Redmond's 2014 coaching staff, naming two new coaches and returning four coaches from 2013. Brett Butler has been named third base/outfield coach, while Frank Menechino has been named hitting coach. Returning from 2013 are bench coach Rob Leary, pitching coach Chuck Hernandez, first base/infield coach Perry Hill, and bullpen coach Reid Cornelius. Also, Jeffrey Urgelles returns as the Marlins bullpen coordinator. The announcements were made by Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill.

Butler joins the Marlins as third base/infield coach after nine seasons in the Diamondbacks organization, the last five as manager for Triple-A Reno, where he led the team to the Triple-A National Championship in 2012. He will also serve as the team's base-running and bunting instructor. Butler played in the Majors for 17 years with the Braves (1981-83), Indians (1984-87), Giants (1988-90), Dodgers (1991-94; 1995-97) and Mets (1995). He is one of only 26 players in Major League history with at least 2,000 hits and 500 stolen bases and ranks 25th all-time with 558 stolen bases. An All-Star in 1991, Butler led the league in outfield fielding percentage three times (1985, 1991, 1993) and he won the 1996 Branch Rickey Award for his exceptional community service. A native of Los Angelese, Butler attended Southeastern Oklahoma St. University.

Menechino joins the Marlins as hitting coach after five seasons as a coach in the Yankees organization. He spent the last three years with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following two years as Double-A Trenton's hitting coach. Menechino played in the Majors from 1999-2005 with Oakland (1999-2004) and Toronto (2004-05), appearing in 450 games after being drafted in 1993 out of the University of Alabama by the Chicago White Sox. A native of Staten Island, NY, Menechino also played baseball at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, FL. He played for Team Italy in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

Leary enters his second season as Marlins Major League bench coach. He rejoined the Marlins in 2013 after coaching stints in the Cleveland (2012) and Boston (2002-2011) organizations. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons in the Marlins organization, working as catching coordinator (1995-96), minor league field coordinator (1997-98), director of field operations (1999-2000) and Major League advance scout (2001). Leary, who played five minor league seasons in the Expos organization, began his coaching career as a player/coach with Single-A Rockford in 1990. He then managed Rockford in 1991-92 and Single-A West Palm Beach in 1993-94.

Hernandez returns for his second season as Marlins pitching coach. In 2013, the Marlins pitching staff set the Franchise records with a 3.71 team ERA and a 3.42 bullpen ERA. He joined the Marlins after two years as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida. Prior to that, Hernandez was the pitching coach for the GCL Phillies in 2010 following two stints as a Major League pitching coach, with Detroit (2006-08) and Tampa Bay (2004-05). He coached in the Rays organization for seven years (1997-2003) after 11 years (1986-96) in the Angels organization, including four-plus seasons as the Major League pitching coach. Hernandez pitched for five seasons in the minor leagues with the Yankees (1979-83) and White Sox (1983).

Hill enters his second season in his third stint with the Marlins as first base/infield coach; he also held that position from 2003-06 and in 2011. The 2014 season will be his 18th season as a Major League coach and his 28th as a professional coach. Last season, the Marlins had the best fielding percentage in the Majors in September (.993), committing errors in just four of the final 24 games. The team finished with a .986 fielding percentage, tied for fourth in the NL and tied for the second-best mark in team history. In 2003, under Hill, the Marlins finished with a franchise-best .987 infield fielding percentage.

Cornelius, entering his fifth season as the club's bullpen coach, begins his 12th season in the Marlins organization. In 2013, the Marlins bullpen set a club record with a 3.42 ERA. Cornelius began his Marlins coaching career in 2003 as Double-A pitching coach and returned to that post for the 2008-09 seasons after five campaigns as the Jupiter pitching coach. He appeared in 45 games in the Majors, compiling an 8-17, 4.91 mark with Montreal (1995), New York-NL (1995) and Florida (1999-2000).

Additional information on the 2014 Marlins is available on the team's official website, www.marlins.com.